Hernan Vargas

Position: Graduate student

Thesis title:
The ecology of small populations of birds in a changing climate

I was born in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. In 1990, I graduated as "Licenciado en Ciencias Biologicas" at the Universidad Catolica, Quito, and, in 1995, I obtained my M.Sc. in Raptor Ecology at Boise State University, USA. Between 1996 and 2001, I worked as a resident ornithologist at the Charles Darwin Research Station and was responsible for planning and implementing various ornithological projects, and for raising funds to support them. Since 2002 I have been a D. Phil. student at the University of Oxford, where I am a member of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU).

My major area of interest is conservation biology, including aspects of ecological monitoring, population ecology and species extinctions. I am particularly interested in studying the reasons why some species become extinct, and how some species manage to persist in variable environments. I consider it of paramount importance, in endangered species research, to determine and distinguish the effects of natural and anthropogenic factors on population fluctuations and extinctions.

I am currently researching the impacts of extreme weather conditions (the El Nino Southern Oscillation (El Niño and la Niña)), climate change, introduced predators and fisheries activity on three threatened bird species endemic to the Galapagos Islands: the Galapagos penguin; the Flightless cormorant; and the Mangrove finch. Our research will inform the management of the Galapagos Islands for birds, through mitigation of these impacts and reduction of conflicts of interest between conservation, tourism and fisheries.

I conduct this research in conjunction with, and as part of, the ecological monitoring programme of the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galapagos Islands. I also collaborate with the Galapagos National Park Service in experiments on the impact of introduced rats on Galapagos penguins and Mangrove finches.

I am deeply indebted to several generous benefactors (listed below) that are currently funding various components of my work, including my stipend, university fees and the purchase of expensive key equipment.

Useful links to benefactors' websites:

Darwin Initiative for Biodiversity
Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos
D. Swarovski & Co.
Galapagos Conservation Trust
The Whitley Laing Foundation
Saint Louis Zoo / University of Missouri
SeaWorld
Swiss Association of Friends of the Galapagos Islands

hernan.vargas@zoo.ox.ac.uk

Recent publications

Travis, E. K., F. H. Vargas, J. Merkel, N. Gottdenker, G. Jiménez Uzcátegui, E. Miller, and P. G. Parker. Submitted. Hematology, serum chemistry, and disease surveillance of the Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.

Travis, E. K., F. H. Vargas, J. Merkel, N. Gottdenker, E. Miller, and P. G. Parker. 2006. Hematology, plasma chemistry, and serology of the Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 42 (1): 133-141 (Download PDF)

Vargas, F.H., Harrison, S., Reab, S., and Macdonald, D.W. 2006. Biological effects of El Nino on the Galapagos penguin. Biological Conservation 127:107-114. (Download PDF)

Boersma, P.D., Vargas, H., and G. Merlen. 2005. Living laboratory in peril (Science Editorial). Science 308:925. (Download PDF)

Gottdenker, N.L., Walsh, T., Vargas, H., Merkel, J., Jimenez, G.U., Miller, R.E., Dailey, M. and Parker, P.G. 2005a. Assessing the risks of introduced chickens and their pathogens to native birds in the Galápagos Archipelago. Biological Conservation 126:429-439. (Download PDF)

Vargas, H., Lougheed, C., and Snell, H. 2005. Population size and trends of the Galápagos Penguin Spheniscus mendiculus. Ibis 147:367-374.(Download PDF)

Dvorak, M., Vargas, H., Fessl, B. and Tebbich, S. 2004. On the verge of extinction: a survey of the mangrove finch Cactospiza heliobates and its habitat on the Galápagos Islands. Oryx 38: 1-10 (Download PDF)

Wikelski, M., Foufopoulos, J., Vargas, H. and Snell H. 2004. Galapagos birds and diseases: invasive pathogens as threats for island species. Ecology and Society 9 (1):5 - 15. (Download PDF)

Gibbs, J. P., Shriver, W.G. and Vargas, H. 2003. An assessment of a Galapagos Rail population over thirteen years (1986 to 2000). Journal of Field Ornithology 74 (2):136-140. (Download PDF)

Marquez, C., Vargas, H., Snell, H., Mauchamp, A., Gibbs, G. and Tapia, W. 2003. Porque tan pocas Opuntia en la Isla Espanola-Galapagos? Ecologia Aplicada 2:21-29 (Download PDF)

Phillips B., Snell, H. and Vargas, H. 2003. Feral rock doves in the Galapagos Islands: Biological and economic threats. Noticias de Galápagos 62:6-11

Anderson, D.J., Huyvaert, K.P., Apanius, V., Townsend, H., Gillikin, C., Hill, L.D., Juola, F., Porter, E.T., Lougheed, C. and Vargas, H. 2002. Population size and trends of the Waved Albatross Phoebastria irrorata. Marine Ornithology 30: 63-69 (Download PDF)

Vargas, H. and Bensted-Smith, R. 2000. Past and present ornithology in Galápagos. In: N. Sitwell, L. Baert and G. Cuppois (eds). Proceedings of the Symposium Science and Conservation in Galapagos. Bulletin de´l Institut Royal des Siences Naturalles de Belgique 70: 47-52.

Breuker, C. and Vargas, H. 1998. Naturalist guides assist in monitoring flamingos. Noticias de Galápagos 59:29-33

Vargas, H. Ornithological notes from Galápagos in 1998. 1999. En. P. Ospina and E. Muñoz, eds. Galápagos Report 1998-1999, p. 72. WWF-Fundacion Natura. Quito.

Mills, K., and Vargas, H. 1997. Current Status, analysis of census methodology, and conservation of the Galápagos Penguin, Spheniscus mendiculus.Noticias de Galápagos 58: 8-15.

Vargas, H., Snell, H. M., Snell, H. L., Miller, G., Miller, R. and Serrano, H. 1997. First records of Penguins nesting on Isla Floreana. Noticias de Galápagos 58: 30-32.

Vargas, H., and Snell, H. 1997. The arrival of Marek's Disease to Galápagos. Noticias de Galápagos 58: 4-5.

Vargas, H. 1996. What is happening with the avifauna of San Cristóbal?. Noticias de Galápagos 57:23-24.